Who Cares - What Matters
He stares
at his hand
and the pen
as it levitates
over a blank page
not just waiting for a word
but a rare polished gem
that’ll never be mined
only to be replaced
by some fool’s gold
d r o s s
unrefined
never to hold any value
meaning
sense
And he smiles
w i d e l y
as he sighs
without a breath
‘This is Poetry at its best’
25 of anything is a good amount
but 25 years
well, now,
that’s even more of a profound number
and account. . .
A QUARTER OF A CENTURY
25 Years and more. . .
So very, very much more
I began serving North Royalton Christian Church on January 15, 1995, knowing that I NEEDED to have a part-time position to supplement my income having jumped from a full-time Senior Minister position at Westlake Christian Church and a part-time chaplain’s position at St. John Westshore Hospital to a Spiritual Care Coordinator’s position at Hospice of the Western Reserve. It was a JUMP then and now I don’t regret even though it was a major change for me and the family. I NEEDED to have this position more than I WANTED to have the position and when Susan Cash, an Elder and also one of the primary people on the Search Committee, stood up this past Sunday in Church and marked the occasion with some fabulous and humbling remarks, (which can be seen at the bottom of this post in full taken from the February Church Newsletter) It only summoned the memory to recall things that the weight of, buckles knees and humbles the heart.
I thought 25 years ago, I NEEDED North Royalton Christian Church for the supplemental income when there have been few moments in those 25 years that have failed to remind me that I NEEDED North Royalton Christian Church for so very much more, and oh, oh how they have delivered in more ways that we will all fail to fully comprehend. My best moments (and hopefully, theirs) is when we have lived in full, vivid living color that I am not THE minister of North Royalton Christian Church, but actually and fully, A MINISTER of the church and our greatest achievements and even failings, have been when we’ve seen each other that way. WE, US, not I or me, do the ministry of the church. In essence, they made me A Caring Catalyst before I knew the true definition on one.
Maybe it’s ironic, but as we are celebrating 25 years of ministry together, I am also looming on celebrating 40 years of being ordained this May. In such a profound and powerful way I fully KNOW that I’m not just a sum total of all the pieces/parts/experiences that make me up, but literally, all of the lives who have made my life, MY LIFE.
What excites and motivates me now is that there are still lives, pieces, parts, and experiences that continue to be added, to further, and not just expand or make my tapestry, but actually BE MY TAPESTRY. A single thread a tapestry does not make. I’m so richly consecrated to have that proven moment by moment and better still, person by person.
Much in the same vein of Robert Frost’s poem, STOPPING BY THE WOODS ON A SNOWY EVENING, I so much embody the last verse:
THE WOODS ARE LOVELY, DARK AND DEEP,
BUT I HAVE PROMISES TO KEEP,
AND MILES TO GO BEFORE I SLEEP,
AND MILES TO GO BEFORE I SLEEP.
In a way that echoes those very sentiments, Susan ended her much appreciated remarks with a quote by an author I’ve never really read, Ursula Le Guin. It comes from her novel, ALWAYS COMING HOME:
“When I take you to the Valley, you’ll see the blue hills on the left and the blue hills on the right, the rainbow and the vineyards under the rainbow late in the rainy season, and maybe you’ll say, ‘There it is, that’s it!’ But I’ll say, ‘A little further.’ We’ll go on, I hope and you’ll see the roofs of the little towns and the hillsides yellow with wild oats, a buzzard soaring and a woman singing by the shadows of a creek in the dry season, and maybe you’ll say, ‘Let’s stop here, this is it!’ But I’ll say, ‘A little further yet.’ And we’ll go on, a you’ll hear a quail calling on the mountain by the springs of the river, and looking back you’ll see the river running downward through the wild hills behind, below, and you’ll say, ‘Isn’t that the Valley?’ And all I will be able to say is, ‘Drink this water of the spring, rest here awhile, we have a long way yet to go without you.’”
I know that my best steps are the ones I’ve never taken alone
but in sync with others
and that the ones to be taken
could be the best ones
still yet to come
with the promise
that those taken long after my last step
could be the very best yet
even more
because of any step I’ve walked along with others
. . .those are the steps
that keep marching forward
. . .ALL-WAYS forward
advancing
inspiring other steps
to be taken
experienced
s h a r e d
25 Years
and More
so very, very much
M O R E
that shows you the difference between
N O T I C I N G
and
K N O W I N G
I have been so magnificently blessed
in experiencing both
and the best part–
I still do
I still am
WE ARE HUMBLY APPRECIATIVE
Thank you
January 26, 2020
In Honor of Chuck and Erin’s 25th Anniversary
In January 1995, we didn’t have GPS. There was no Febreze or Swiffer. Selfies & texting didn’t exist because there were no smart phones. Invisible braces were far off in the future. There was no Wikipedia, Google or Facebook and online banking and shopping at Amazon were not yet available.
If you were attending NRCC in early January of 1995, you know we didn’t have a minister either until later in the month. That’s when Chuck joined us.
Over the years, Chuck has presented about 1200 sermons to us. He doesn’t preach, he tells parables—I remember one of his first Sundays here he told us about a character in his hometown who the towns’ people called Ugly. It was a very touching and dramatic story. Chuck has delivered a sermon from the top of a ladder; he’s come dressed as a bum; was an Elvis impersonator; has been Paul, Peter, and Judas; and he often sings his sermons. Once his niece sat in our congregation as a homeless person.
I don’t think he has ever repeated a sermon let alone repeated a theme.
And standing alongside Chuck is Erin—we got a twofer—two special gifts to this congregation. We thank God for sending you both to us. You’ll never know how much we appreciate your devotion, your dedication, your love, your spirit, your teachings, and your wisdom.
I was watching a program about the writer Ursula Le Guin recently and the program ended with her reading from her novel Always Coming Home. I think her words speak to Chuck and Erin’s ministry here:
“When I take you to the Valley, you’ll see the blue hills on the left and the blue hills on the right, the rainbow and the vineyards under the rainbow late in the rainy season, and maybe you’ll say, “There it is, that’s it!” But I’ll say. “A little farther.” We’ll go on, I hope, and you’ll see the roofs of the little towns and the hillsides yellow with wild oats, a buzzard soaring and a woman singing by the shadows of a creek in the dry season, and maybe you’ll say, “Let’s stop here, this is it!” But I’ll say, “A little farther yet.” We’ll go on, and you’ll hear the quail calling on the mountain by the springs of the river, and looking back you’ll see the river running downward through the wild hills behind, and you’ll say, “Isn’t that the Valley?” And all I will be able to say is “Drink this water of the spring, rest here awhile, we have a long way yet to go and I can’t go without you.”
Thank you Chuck and Erin
Written by Susan Cash
There was a terrible helicopter accident on Sunday, January 26, 2020 and not only did nine people die in a horrible crash, but nine families and in some ways, the whole world will forever be changed. . .
F O R E V E R
as in eternally
Two of those people were Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna
otherwise it would have been a terrible accident that would have made
the local/regional news and quickly forgotten except for those families now perpetually changed. . .
S O
G R I E F
is such a powerful emotion
mostly because all of other emotions
come and go
but
deeper than on a cellular level
grief
stays with us
through our last breath;
our final heartbeat. . .
Years from now we may all easily recall where we were at, what we were doing when Kobe Bryant died just like:
Most of us know exactly where we were and what we were doing when we learned that a beloved public figure had died. A half-century ago, our parents and grandparents learned about President Kennedy’s death at 2:38 p.m. on November 22, 1963, when Walter Cronkite delivered the devastating news on network television. Decades later, many of us may have been taking a quick Facebook break when we discovered the shocking deaths of legendary musicians like David Bowie, or still-in-their-prime performers like Amy Winehouse. Minutes after the news breaks, our social-media pages are filled with videos of the late musicians’ classic performances, and heartfelt posts and tweets about how deeply saddened we are by the loss.
But most of us never met these people.
We know little more about them than what we see at the theater, hear at their concerts, or read in publicist-orchestrated interviews. So, why are we so saddened? And is this sadness normal?
Grief, or the sadness we feel when we lose someone or something that we’re deeply attached to, is perfectly normal. It’s so normal, in fact, that psychiatrists long believed that depression was a perfectly appropriate reaction when a loved one died. Much of what we know about grief comes from academic studies and self-help books focused on the loss of a very close loved one, such as a spouse, a child, or even a pet. The death of someone we loved and lived with brings the most profound grief, yet sadness or bouts of introspection can accompany other losses. Homesickness or nostalgia, for instance, can trigger grief-like symptoms. We may yearn for a place or time when we were young, happy, well-loved, and shielded from the harsh realities of adulthood.
It’s not surprising that so many people feel at least a short-term spell of sadness or emptiness when a favorite artist, writer, or political leaderdies. These feelings of sadness (if appropriately short-lived) can actually be good for us. Here’s why:
1. It heightens our sense of empathy and understanding for those who are suffering.
Some public figures die peacefully after long and happy lives. Yet many others, especially those who die prematurely, have publicly battled demons that would have been kept secret decades ago. Celebrities aren’t alone in their struggles with illnesses like depression, drug abuse, and alcoholism. When Robin Williams committed suicide in 2015, he was one of an estimated 40 million Americans suffering from depression. Philip Seymour Hoffman was a gifted and versatile actor at the peak of his career when he died at age 46 in 2014. He was also one of more than 8,200 people who died of a heroin overdose that year. The deaths of beloved performers like 31-year-old Corey Monteith of Glee and 65-year-old vocalist Natalie Cole put a face on drug and alcohol addiction. Although medical professionals recognize that addiction is a disease, many Americans still view it as a moral failing. One recent study found that only 22 percent of people would be willing to work with a person who had a drug addiction, and nearly three-quarters thought employers had a right to deny jobs to those who have a drug addiction. Celebrity deaths may help us to better understand addictions, and heighten our empathy for those suffering from them.article continues after advertisement
The deaths of public figures also may be the first time we hear of a particular disease, or learn new things about a disease’s course and cause. While deaths from lung cancer historically have garnered little sympathy because observers may believe that many smokers “cause” their own death, some high-visibility deaths have shown us the randomness and cruelty of cancer. Dana Reeve, the young widow of actor Christopher Reeve, died of lung cancer despite never having smoked. Beastie Boy Adam Yauch followed a vegan diet yet succumbed to cancer at age 47. Although maintaining a healthy lifestyle can dramatically reduce our risks of cancer, diabetes, and other life-threatening diseases, there’s still a large random element that we just need to accept.
2. Our feelings can provide clues as to what’s missing from our lives.
Very few of us kept company with David Bowie, Whitney Houston, or Glenn Frey. But news of their deaths may transport us back to a place and time when their music was a source of comfort or affirmation. Scientists have documented that music triggers brain activity associated with memory. When artists with decades-long careers like Bowie, Houston, or Michael Jackson die, they take a little piece of our pasts with them. Hearing “Let’s Dance” or “Thriller” may take us back to a high-school party, a first date, or a college dorm room—a time and place before the pressures of work, marriage, kids, and bills dampened our youthful optimism.
These moments of bittersweet nostalgia can be opportunities to assess what’s working in our lives. A brief musical trip back to our adolescent or young-adult years may help us to figure out what we wanted for our lives when we were young, what we’ve achieved, and which dreams we’ve given up on. These thought exercises may help us identify what’s important to us, and figure out ways to reintroduce some long-lost passions, goals, and dreams into our adult lives.
3. Collective mourning connects us to a larger community.
Collective mourning, such as attending a candlelight vigil, or weighing in on a friend’s heartbroken Facebook commentary about Alan Rickman’s touching portrayals, helps connect us to others in meaningful ways. Discovering a shared fondness for a particular film or song brings us closer to others, because our cultural tastes often reflect our values and worldviews. Collective mourning reminds us that we’re part of a particular generation, whether Baby Boomers, Gen X, or Millennials, and helps us to celebrate the cultural touchstones that define us.article continues after advertisement
Very few of us take the time to ponder or discuss profound issues like, What is a life well-lived? What imprint do we want to leave on the world? What do you fear most about your own death? When so many Americans lead busy lives with precious little time for personal connection or conversations about meaningful issues, the exchanges (even if brief) triggered by celebrity deaths might help people realize that they’re a part of something bigger and more profound than themselves.
Most important, celebrity deaths teach us that everyone will die someday, and neither fame nor wealth nor talent shields us from that inevitability. Ideally, that recognition of life’s finiteness will help us to pursue healthy, mindful lives, and appreciate what we have before it’s gone.
K O B E
he was the Mamba
and brought to us
among so many other things
MAMBA MENTALITY
it’s a term that Kobe coined to
describe the level of intense focus
and relentless approach
he took both in
preparation and competition. . .
Kobe said after his last game in 2016:
“I always wanted to be remembered as a ‘talented overachiever,” I had the talent but I WORKED AS IF I HAD NONE.”
and then more universally:
“The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great at whatever they want to do.”
I’ve told thousands of people
hundreds of times over
during my presentations,
“I know, I know that I know, I’d bet my very life that I know that one day I will die, but for the life of me, I don’t act like I know it; in fact, I’d be the most shocked person in the world if it was TODAY or if this was the last blog post I would ever write because I died. . . .”
B U T
it will happen
and grieving
will result. . .
It’s days like
Sunday, January 26, 2020
where a helicopter crash took the lives of nine people
two of them
Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna
. . .on days like these we will remember
that we will all say
GOODBYE
to this place one day;
that the book of our life
will all be interrupted
and that we too will be
m e m o r i e s. . .
On days like these
we feel fragile
and yet
C O N N E C T E D
On days like these
we realize that our heroes are all mortal
and that our time is
so very short
and that our days
are numbered
and guaranteed:
THE NUMBER
is never high
e n o u g h
The Message:
L I V E
f u l l y
(and the endlessly will take care of itself)
HOW IS IT (IT IS HOW)
How is it (IT IS HOW)
that my steps
found yours walking towards me. . .
How is it (IT IS HOW)
that my outstretched arms
had yours reaching me. . .
How is it (IT IS HOW)
that my eyes sought you
but you saw me. . .
How is it (IT IS HOW)
that my darkness
found your light. . .
How is it
(IT IS HOW)
I wrote this poem shortly after reading
I wrote this poem shortly after pondering
Ada’s poem,
Ada Limón – 1976-
When the doctor suggested surgery
and a brace for all my youngest years,
my parents scrambled to take me
to massage therapy, deep tissue work,
osteopathy, and soon my crooked spine
unspooled a bit, I could breathe again,
and move more in a body unclouded
by pain. My mom would tell me to sing
songs to her the whole forty-five minute
drive to Middle Two Rock Road and forty-
five minutes back from physical therapy.
She’d say, even my voice sounded unfettered
by my spine afterward. So I sang and sang,
because I thought she liked it. I never
asked her what she gave up to drive me,
or how her day was before this chore. Today,
at her age, I was driving myself home from yet
another spine appointment, singing along
to some maudlin but solid song on the radio,
and I saw a mom take her raincoat off
and give it to her young daughter when
a storm took over the afternoon. My god,
I thought, my whole life I’ve been under her
raincoat thinking it was somehow a marvel
that I never got wet.
From The Carrying (Milkweed Editions, 2018) by Ada Limón. Copyright © 2018 by Ada Limón. Used with the permission of Milkweed Editions. milkweed.org.
Just who’s most responsible in keeping you from getting wet
Just who are you most responsible for keeping dry
HOW IS IT (IT IS HOW)
Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. . .
I don’t much care what you’re
looking at
SO MUCH
AS WHAT YOU
S E E
Out of all of the sights
and sounds
we’re bound to be
bombarded with
over the next few weeks
there’ll be none more important
than the ones you won’t so
much look at
or even
SEE
as much as the ones you’ll be able to
S H A R E. . .
The most important Bench that exists
isn’t the one we occupy;
IT IS THE ONE WE
S H A R E
with Another. . .
In this Season of
LIGHT and HOPE
there’s a certain
guaranteed
B R O K E N N E S S
mostly sitting right next to us
and the only one that can make a difference
is You. . .
You’ll never be called to
LIGHT THE WORLD
so much as just to
s i m p l y
share your glow. . .
So
take another
g a n d e r
glimpse
at what you didn’t see
but need view
Q U E S T I O N:
What’s better,
To be a
Wish Granter
or to be a
Wish Receiver
A N S W E R:
BOTH
Remember the greatest wish you were ever able to grant. . .
Remember the greatest wish you were ever able to receive. . .
THE SECRET TO LIFE:
Remembering both
is one thing. . .
DOING BOTH
(often)
IS THE ONLY THING!
True
or
False. . .
Pssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssst:
You don’t pick the answer
so much as the way you live
SHOWS THE ANSWER
Wish Granter
Wish Receiver
Have you ever had one:
A NOBEL PRIZE MOMENT. . . ?
A moment where you make a lifesaving contribution for all of
H U M A N I T Y. . .
The Nobel Prize Season has begun:
STOCKHOLM — The 2019 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicinehas been awarded to scientists William G. Kaelin, Jr, Peter J. Ratcliffe and Gregg L. Semenza.
They received the award jointly for their discoveries of “how cells sense and adapt to oxygen availability,” the Nobel Committee announced Monday.
Two of the scientists, Kaelin and Semenza, are U.S.-based, at Harvard University and Johns Hopkins respectively. The other scientist, Ratcliffe, is based at the Francis Crick Institute in London.
It is the 110th prize in the category that has been awarded since 1901.
The Karolinska Institutet said in a statement the trio should share equally the 9 million kronor ($918,000) cash award.
The discoveries made by the three men “have fundamental importance for physiology and have paved the way for promising new strategies to fight anemia, cancer and many other diseases,” the Committee said.
So Congratulation, William, Peter and Gregg
for your contribution to the world
for your prestigious award
for your
R E M I N D E R:
As Caring Catalyst’s
it always comes back to us at the most
simplest
purest
C E L L U L A R level
and we
now more than ever
as dramatically
as desperately
as the very oxygen
in the cells that connect us
the love that binds us
the hate that can never obliterate us. . .
For their contribution
and the honor of the Nobel Prize
William, Peter, and Gregg each received $918,000.00
For YOUR contribution
and the honor
to give
to serve
the honorarium is
p r i c e l e s s
(connect anyway–all-ways)
I’ve long
SHOUTED IT:
IT’S NOT NOT OUR MEDICAL ADVANCES
IT’S NOT OUR SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES
IT’S NOT OUR VAST ARSENAL OF PHARMACUETICALS
IT’S NOT OUR UNLIMITED TECHNOLOGICAL AMAZEMENTS
that Heal us. . .
It’s our RELATIONSHIPS
TRUE
or
FALSE. . . ?
P R O O F. . .
Data-based Evidence. . .
Journalist, JAMES MCCONCHIE reported earlier this Summer:
Every week, McConchie shares, “my wife and I have a meeting where we talk about what is going well in our family, but also what we could be doing better. She knows when I am giving less than my best, and she calls me out on it—which isn’t always easy to hear. But I know I’m lucky to be married to someone who always challenges me to work on myself and become a better person.”
When we think about personal growth, we often envision a solo quest, like Don Quixote on a journey of self-improvement. We are advised to increase our self-control, get grittier, and develop a sense of purpose. So we hunker down, turn inward, and start the solitary task of reshaping our habits and behaviors.
And yet people who are thriving are usually doing so with the help of others. Peak athletes have coaches. Top executives have mentors. Great parents have parenting blogs and other great parents to bounce ideas off of. Even those contemplative Buddhist monks who seem to be at the pinnacle of self-transcendence are almost always surrounded by other transcendent monk friends.
Research backs this up, suggesting that positive relationships can help us succeed, grow, and become better people. McConchie shared, “As my wife and I have experienced, romantic partners often encourage and support one another toward shared goals. When parents are highly involved in school, their children tend to do well academically. And positive support from friends, especially during adolescence and early adulthood, can encourage us to be more empathic and helpful toward others.”
Across all different spheres of our lives, our relationships can not only help us feel good, but they can also help us be good. If you want to tap into these benefits, here are six simple ways to draw on your relationships to fuel your growth.
We generally become more and more like the people whom we spend our time with. The more we see someone model a behavior and see that behavior being reinforced in positive ways, the more likely we are to try it out ourselves—whether it’s a friend having success with a new exercise routine or a partner staying calm during disagreements by trying to breathe more.
One of the most fundamental ways to make sure your relationships are helping you grow is to surround yourself with the right people. Some relationships frustrate us, some make us happy, and some challenge us (and some relationships do all three!). While it isn’t always easy to stop and start relationships, of course, we can aim to spend more time with the people who challenge us.
This doesn’t mean finding someone who is better than you so that you can try to be like them. Instead, think about how your strengths can complement someone else’s. Maybe your sibling is detailed and organized while you are more adventurous, and you can rub off on each other as you take a trip together. You can learn from others while they are learning from you.
Who says that goal setting should be a solitary venture?
When we share our goals with others, we immediately have someone to keep us accountable. If I tell my wife that I am trying to stay away from sugar, all she has to do is give me that look when I pick up a doughnut to remind me of my commitment. It is difficult to stay on track with a goal all the time, but it’s easier , if we have someone to help us work through an obstacle or pick us up when we fall.
If we take one step further by setting goals with others—like running a half-marathon together or taking classes together to learn a new language—then we won’t feel so alone when the journey gets tough.
The social support that we receive from others is incredibly powerful, particularly during those tough times. When the pressure is high, those who have greater levels of social support tend to experience less stress.
We may also be more motivated when we are working toward a goal with someone else. Think about being pushed by a running mate to jog a little faster than you would otherwise. Or giving up your Saturday for a service project because a friend is doing the same thing. Sometimes we need someone else to inspire us to be our best.
It’s usually up to us to decide on the areas where we could use some self-improvement. And while this process of self-reflection is important, we can sometimes be bad judges of our own abilities; we usually assume we know much more than we actually do. So why not look to our relationships as a source of feedback about where we can improve?
Feedback is crucial for our development. Research has shown that when we seek feedback and use it as an opportunity for growth, we are more likely to improve over time. How much faster would that process be if we went and asked for feedback instead of waiting for it to come? Imagine your partner’s reaction if you were to ask for feedback on what you could have done differently after a big fight, or how blown away your teenager would be if you asked how you could be a better parent this school year.
Our positive relationships represent a safe space for us to work on ourselves with support from people who care about us. But sometimes we have to make the first move and ask for that support.
Just like financial capital, social capital is a valuable resource that we can invest in for our own good. The more meaningful relationships we have, the more social resources become available. We often find work or beloved hobbies through our relationships, even at three or four degrees of separation—like your brother’s wife’s friend, who heard about that great new job opening.
In addition to exposing us to new ideas, activities, and opportunities, social capital also frees us up to do more of the things we are good at when we find others to help with the things we aren’t as good at. This has benefits at home and at work: For example, employees are more engagedwhen they get to spend more time using their strengths. And teenagers are happier and less stressed when their parents focus on building their strengths.
If you don’t know how to do something or where to start with a new goal, find someone in your network who does.
Gratitude has long been promoted as a way of increasing our happiness, but it also motivates us toward self-improvement. If you want a simple boost from your relationships, you can start by just practicing gratitude for them. The act of being thankful can increase our confidence and encourage us to move forward with our goals, perhaps because it tends to make us feel more connected to people and creates feelings of elevation—a strong positive emotion that comes when we see others do good deeds.
Imagine you are training to be a doctor because you want to help people. During a particularly challenging stretch of medical school, you decide to spend some time being thankful for all the people who have helped you get to that point. In doing so, you realize all you have accomplished with the help of others, which boosts your confidence. You feel so inspired by the help others gave you that you get a boost of motivation to complete your program so that you can go out and help others, too.
So think about someone who has helped you a great deal in the past, and reach out to thank them. Not only will that exchange feel good for both of you, but it might also reignite a relationship that can spark your further growth.
As you’re tapping into your relationships for social capital, you can contribute to the growth of others, as well—which is another way to show gratitude.
We as humans are motivated by reciprocity. When we receive a favor, we often want to pay it back (or pay it forward). So offer to help a neighbor with a home improvement project just like another neighbor helped you. Or reach out to someone you have helped in the past, and check in to see how they are doing.
While supporting others is meaningful in and of itself, it doesn’t hurt that it tends to be a mutually beneficial experience. We help someone else, and we usually feel pretty good—and might even learn something in the process. That is one reason why mentoring has become so common in the workplace. It is an exchange that benefits both parties, as the mentee gains valuable wisdom while the mentor gets to brush up on skills and take in new perspectives.
James stated, “As my wife and I have set goals together over the years, I have pushed her to be more spontaneous and explore the world, while she has helped me to be more focused in pursuit of my passions. I am grateful for her, and that motivates me to make the world a better place. Now that we have begun to pay it forward to our children, hopefully they too will seek out relationships that bring out their best. Because those are the kinds of relationships that help us all.“
PROVE IT
SHOW THE WORLD
YOUR OWN
EVIDENCE-BASED EVIDENCE. . .
The Life you might
E N L I G H T E N
just might be
Y O U R ‘ S
The priest that isn’t, is. . .
It wasn’t to mock the priesthood
or rip on the Catholic Church
When I came dressed in my black shirt and white collar. . .
It was only a reminder that each of us
at our best
and not so best
are representatives
A M B A S S A D O R S
of something much better than us. . .
It’s also a reminder that first impressions
make a powerful,
p o w e r f u l
statement;
In fact,
when I was at Giant Eagle
prior to the service on Sunday
the cashier sneezed
and the person in front of me and the person behind me and I all in unison said,
“God bless you!”
The man in front of me, seeing me in my collar, said,
“I think it means more coming from him, than us.”
R E A L L Y
And then
as I was walking to my car
a group of Browns fans were coming in
obviously for some refreshments for the upcoming game that afternoon
and one of them yelled out,
“HEY, FATHER, BLESS THE BROWNS, TODAY!”
I just smiled and waved and didn’t have the heart to tell him that I was a Steelers fan. . .
The Golden nugget;
The magical moment came after church
when we stopped at our neighborhood grocery store on the way home to pick up some cat food and dog food
and as we were going through the checkout line the cashier stopped checking us out and said,
“Father, I know you’re off the clock, but I sure could use a blessing.
And before I could say a word she told me what a rough year it has been because her husband has been so sick. . .
And right there in the checkout line,
it became hallowed ground,
the check out counter had become an altar
the cash register shelf
a small Confessional. . .
We both seemed to forget about the people in line;
I asked her what her name was,
“Beth,”
she said no longer looking at me.
“And your husband,” I said, “what’s his name?”
“Larry,”
she said above a whisper like prayer. . .
I asked for her hands
and she reached across the counter and gave them up to me
as a sacred offering. . .
“Beth, may your and Larry’s new upcoming Blessings far outweigh any of the troubles that you’ve had this past year and may you never look at any sunset that brings the darkness without knowing of the explosive Sunrise that follows it.”
She had tears in her eyes and asked me if it would be OK if she could come around the counter and give me a hug.
And as we hugged
I whispered one more Blessing:
“Here’s to your greatest memories being those you’ve yet to create”
Sometimes
the greatest priest that isn’t,
I S
The take away:
You are
T H A T
Priest
especially the one without a collar. . .
Make Love
your Law
and Kindness
Your Gospel. . .
and recognize the hurt that the World often brings to your door
is often
the very salve you already possess to heal it;
THE QUESTION:
WILL YOU?
The EDEKA GROUP
is the largest German Supermarket Corporation, currently holding a market share of 26%. They were founded in 1898 and consists today of several cooperatives of independent supermarkets all operating under the umbrella organization Edeka Zentrale AG & Co KG, with headquarters in Hamburg. There are approximately 4,100 stores with the Edeka name that range from corner stores to megastores.
You want to gain even a greater range of attention?
Put out a Video like the one above
FOR THE CHRISTMAS SEASON
So. . .
what say
Y O U ?
Do you think that the video evokes an emotional rape?
Do you favor the Father for faking his death in bringing his family together for Christmas. . .
possibly one last time?
Do you blame the Children for not having enough time. . .
for being too busy for coming home for Christmas or
C H R I S T M A S I N J U L Y
to be with their lonely dad?
G E T T I N G H O M E
I mean. . .
r e a l l y
GETTING WHAT HOME
really means is nothing more precious to any of us. . .
especially during the Holidays
and not to mention
THE EVERYDAY
H O M E
means more than showing up at some place we might have lived or grown up in
. . .it means more than two story dwelling with a crackling logs in a fire place
. . .it means more than decorations or paint schemes
. . .it means more than where a meal is shared or a drink is lifted up and toasted
. . .it means more than some makeshift, outback family reunion
. . .it means more
. . .it means m u c h more.
But the only question it ever really means is
what it means to you. . . ?
GETTING HOME
means more than traveling a road
means more than following a route
means more than using GPS
means more than making reservations
means more than a humble dwelling
GETTING HOME
goes beyond a Dictionary Definition
or a family’s understanding
GETTING HOME
isn’t something you give or receive
it’s only something
you have
but maybe haven’t always realized
or worse
put to good use
for you
for others. . .
Here’s to you
GETTING HOME
really
G E T T I N G
I T
See you at the Corner Store
for a gallon of
L O V E
and a pound of
T O G E T H E R N E S S
(every Season)
C H R I S T M A S
or
C H R I S T M A S I N J U L Y